Claro's AI Co-Pilot Aims to Make Financial Advisors Indispensable

BOSTON, MA – February 12, 2026 – Wealth management firm Claro Advisors today launched a new AI-native platform, entering a burgeoning and fiercely competitive market focused on equipping independent financial advisors with next-generation technology. The Boston-based firm, with approximately $1.5 billion in assets under management, is betting that its integrated system can make advisors more efficient and, in the words of its CEO, "indispensable to their clients."

The platform's launch is the culmination of a strategic move made in November 2025, when Claro Advisors acquired NDVR, a wealth technology company. This acquisition brought not only NDVR's technology but also its high-profile founder, Michael Simon, who now joins Claro as Executive Chairman. The firm's central thesis is that artificial intelligence should augment, not replace, human advisors, a philosophy that positions it as a 'co-pilot' for professionals navigating an increasingly complex industry.

"Many firms are building technology to replace financial advisors but we’re building technology to make advisors indispensable to their clients. Artificial intelligence, when used properly, can strengthen the relationships advisors have with their clients by allowing them to focus on the client and less on day-to-day, time-consuming and repetitive tasks,” said Ryan Belanger, CEO and founder of Claro Advisors, in the company's announcement. He emphasized the goal is to strengthen client relationships by automating tasks, allowing advisors to focus on high-value client interaction.

The Tech Titan and the Wealth Manager

The story of Claro's new platform is fundamentally a story of two worlds colliding: seasoned wealth management expertise and a proven track record in disruptive technology. The union of Ryan Belanger and Michael Simon is central to the company's pitch. Belanger, a former Morgan Stanley advisor, founded Claro in 2012 with a vision rooted in the daily realities of financial planning.

Michael Simon, however, brings a different kind of pedigree—one forged in the explosive growth of the tech sector. Simon is best known as the co-founder and former Chairman and CEO of LogMeIn, a cloud services provider he led through a successful IPO on the Nasdaq in 2009 and grew into a multi-billion-dollar global entity. His track record extends further, having founded the online gaming company Uproar, which was acquired by Vivendi Universal Games, and Fathom Technology, which later merged into the now-public EPAM Systems.

Simon founded NDVR in 2019, reportedly driven by his own dissatisfying experiences as a client of traditional wealth management. His goal was to use technology to solve what he saw as endemic industry issues through "Wealth Optimization." By acquiring NDVR, Claro didn't just buy a software stack; it absorbed a philosophy and a leader with a history of scaling tech ventures.

“Our thinking was to merge my technology background with Ryan’s wealth management background to create a wealth management company for financial advisors who are tech savvy and looking to build a practice with efficiency and exceptional client service,” Simon stated. This combination of financial acumen and technological prowess is the firm's primary differentiator as it wades into a crowded marketplace.

An AI Platform in a Crowded Field

Claro Advisors is rolling out a suite of tools designed to operate as a single, integrated ecosystem. The platform is built on three main pillars. The Claro Intelligent Hub™ serves as the central nervous system, an operating system that combines a CRM with calendar and task management. Its key feature is the use of AI to generate proactive recommendations for advisors, with the firm claiming it can save users up to 20 hours per week.

The Claro Growth Program™ addresses a perennial challenge for independent advisors: client acquisition. It combines marketing programs with a dedicated sales team and AI tools designed to generate qualified leads. Finally, the Claro Portfolio Engine™ handles the technical aspects of investment management, offering proprietary technology for rebalancing, tax-loss harvesting, liquidity management, and billing, all supported by an institutional trading team.

While this integrated approach is compelling, Claro is far from alone. The race to provide AI-powered tools to financial advisors has intensified dramatically. Industry giants and nimble startups are all vying for the same audience:
* Orion Advisor Solutions is rolling out its "Orion Denali AI" platform, which enables advisors to query complex data using natural language.
* Envestnet has introduced "Generative Business Intelligence (Gen BI)" and "Insights AI" to provide proactive nudges and "next-best actions" for advisors.
* Addepar bolstered its AI capabilities by acquiring Arcus in May 2025, focusing on intelligent data management and predictive insights.
* Even BlackRock, an asset management behemoth, has integrated generative AI into its "Aladdin Wealth" platform to auto-generate portfolio commentary.

Other players like Altruist, with its "Hazel AI" for tax planning, and TIFIN are also carving out significant niches. The common thread among all these competitors is the "augmentation, not replacement" mantra, suggesting a broad industry consensus on the future role of AI.

The Battle for the Independent Advisor

The explosion of AI platforms is a direct response to a powerful shift in the financial services industry. A growing number of advisors are leaving large wirehouses to establish their own independent practices. This freedom comes with the significant burden of running a small business, including marketing, compliance, operations, and technology management.

Technology platforms have become the critical infrastructure enabling this movement. They offer the promise of operational leverage, allowing a small advisory firm or a solo practitioner to compete with the resources of a much larger institution. The claim by Claro and competitors like Jump to save advisors "up to 20 hours per week" is a powerful lure for professionals who feel bogged down by administrative work instead of engaging with clients.

The challenge for these advisors is not just managing existing clients efficiently but also delivering the hyper-personalized service that clients now expect. AI promises to solve this by sifting through vast amounts of data to identify opportunities, flag risks, and even help prepare for client meetings, allowing for personalized advice at scale.

Claro Advisors is now actively onboarding advisors to its new platform, entering a market where differentiation will be key. Its success will likely depend not just on the sophistication of its AI, but on its ability to deliver a seamless, intuitive user experience that truly frees up advisors to do what they do best: advise. The firm's unique blend of leadership from both the tech and wealth management worlds may be its most significant asset in this ongoing battle for the independent advisor.